Happiness is a hummingbird 

It darts around from flower to flower 

With no rhyme or reason 

Basking in the sun 

Forever it flies free. 

But it flies away from you and me

So we try to catch it

Our fists ache as we grasp 

Be just a little faster 

Just a little stronger

Just a little braver. 

We can’t catch it. 

The next day we return

To catch the hummingbird

This time with nets and baskets 

Running a little faster 

Jumping a little further 

But we are still not brave enough. 

We don’t catch it. 

On the third day

We convince more people 

To help us catch the hummingbird

Happiness is promised 

For if the hummingbird is happiness 

Then we will finally be happy

The promise of the light 

Brings more people. 

We still haven’t caught it. 

The fourth day 

The whole town tries to catch the hummingbird 

Still it flies from flower to flower. 

It flies past a few people 

They claim to feel the happiness 

Everyone gets a little faster 

A little stronger 

But none are brave enough. 

Together we can’t catch it. 

Years go by. 

The town builds a cage 

The hummingbird is trapped 

Never to be caught

One day the hummingbird dies.

It had no more flowers 

For they were trampled by the people 

It had no friends, for the wall kept them out.

The hummingbird died. 

People panicked

Because without the hummingbird 

there could be no happiness.

Children still smiled.

The town 

Wasn’t brave enough to question 

If the hummingbird was just a 

Hummingbird.